Yes, retractions of demands for a correction from Fox News have been issued. Confused? You’re not alone.
Earlier today, some news outlets, including Fox News, reported incorrectly that Florida Rep. Bill Young had died. Retractions and corrections ensued, including from Fox News, but some “real reporters,” including Politico’s Dylan Byers, in an apparent rush to single out Fox News for not being “real reporters,” claimed the cable net hadn’t yet issued a retraction:
>>> RT @Hadas_Gold: Rep. Bill Young is NOT dead. Fox News report on air was wrong. http://t.co/riiGOtV0wm
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 17, 2013
So I know @FoxNews doesn't always correct errors… but this is a matter of life and death, and it's been AN HOUR: http://t.co/QuZoDlNfaQ
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 17, 2013
Imagine if you're the family MT @brianstelter: still no correction by Fox, which incorrectly reported Rep. Young died http://t.co/YJA4mSnkUB
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 17, 2013
But wait, had Fox News already issued a correction?
To those tweeting that Carlson corrected Rep. Young report… we're checking that and. if we were wrong, will issue our own correction. Natch.
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 17, 2013
A correction on a demand for a correction was then issued:
@brianstelter yes, we've just found that out as well. our bad.
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 17, 2013
The comic scene of a media outlet issuing a correction to its demand for a correction caught the eye of Musket Morgan:
@DylanByers @brianstelter are your corrections to your own demands for corrections the true definition of irony?
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 17, 2013
Pass the popcorn.
@piersmorgan @brianstelter what demands?
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 17, 2013
@DylanByers @brianstelter the one you made 18 minutes ago..
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 17, 2013
@DylanByers @brianstelter 'this is a matter of life and death'….sure sounded like you wanted a correction Mr Byers…
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 17, 2013
@piersmorgan @brianstelter I did! And it turns out I got one.
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 17, 2013
@DylanByers @brianstelter no, it turns out you'd already HAD one..slightly different. Welcome to the perils or rushing to judgement…
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 17, 2013
Byers should take that advice to the bank, because when it comes to “rushing to judgment,” Morgan knows what he’s talking about.
Yet another Politico reporter also claimed Fox News hadn’t issued a correction:
Update: Fox publishes report online that they incorrectly reported Rep. Young's death – still no on air correction http://t.co/u9QfcINqJK
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) October 17, 2013
Before discovering they had:
Guys I was wrong – Fox news DID issue an on air correction around 2:23. My apologies, this post has been updated http://t.co/u9QfcINqJK
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) October 17, 2013
Ditto for a New York Times reporter:
Been about an hour, but still no correction by Fox News, which incorrectly reported that Rep. Bill Young had died. http://t.co/3TQZRy4Qhk
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 17, 2013
But upon actually checking:
Re: last tweet & Politico link, Fox News DID correct its premature death report at 2:23pm "We of course sincerely apologize for that error."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 17, 2013
1/2: FYI, here's why I thought Politico was right. @TVEyesInc, an online DVR that reporters use, relies on closed captioning transcripts…
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 17, 2013
2/2: …for text searches of TV newscasts. "Bill Young" search only showed Fox's mistake, not the apology. D'oh. I'll learn from my mistake.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 17, 2013
The safest bet is not believing a word from any “real reporter” before checking it out for yourself.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member